Tag: comfort

Main Course Recipes

Super Simple Shrimp Coconut Curry

emilyalwayscooks
While delightfully magical, planning a wedding is extremely time consuming.  I was still cooking up a storm amidst all the past magic, but I didn’t have time to photograph and post my recipes. Yes, I’m using the – “I recently got married excuse” – to justify my year long absence. So, what does this mean for you? It means you’re going to have to suffer through a few wedding pictures. It means I have plenty of tasty dishes tested and ready to publish. It means I’ll never go on a year long hiatus again.

Ryan and I got married at Journeyman Distillery in Southwest Michigan. Our families and talented friends pulled off what was without a doubt the best day of our lives. Truly magical. Pictures below!

Now onto the recipe – this curry is made up of big bold flavors. Onion, ginger and garlic give the dish a sturdy foundation.  Turmeric, coriander, curry powder, and coconut milk give the dish a wonderful depth.  Well balanced and mildly spicy. If you prefer spicier,  just add more cayenne to the shrimp marinade.

I know curry is one of those dishes often outsourced to carryout due to the “curry takes a log time to make properly” myth. Don’t believe that.  No myths or magic involved in this. It’s just simply delicious.

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Ingredients:
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 lbs extra-large shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil (or your preferred oil)
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp mild curry powder
  • 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 5.5 oz can unsweetened coconut milk
  • fresh cilantro, for garnish
  • cooked basmati rice, for serving (or your preferred grain)
Instructions:
  1. In a small bowl, toss the shrimp with the first 4 ingredients – 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, 3 tbsp lemon juice – and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
  2. While the shrimp are marinating, heat the oil in a medium size pot. Add the onion, and cook for 3-5 minutes. Stir in the ginger, garlic, pepper, salt, coriander, turmeric, and curry powder.
  3. Continue to cook over medium heat until the onion is translucent, ( about another 2 minutes). Add the diced tomato. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes. Add the coconut milk, stir, and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes. Add shrimp with the accumulated juices from the marinade and cook for another 5 minutes or until the shrimp is pink and cooked through.
  4. Serve over rice and garnish with fresh cilantro.
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Crock Pot Recipes, Soup and Chili Recipes

Crock Pot Creamy Tomato Soup

emilyalwayscooks

Homemade Creamy Tomato Soup

 

Tomato soup is nostalgic.  It always has been.  When the aroma of tomato soup fills my apartment, I am instantly taken back to my childhood kitchen table dunking a grilled cheese sandwich into my piping hot bowl of soup.

This recipe is creamy and full of tomato flavor.  Made in the crock pot, it has a combination of tomatoes, veggies, broth, milk, cheese, and herbs.  For those who prefer to make this dish on the stove, I included directions below.

Plenty of the ingredients in this soup are of the “already in your pantry” label.  Feel free to make this soup as velvety smooth or as chunky as you like.  Once you make homemade tomato soup, you will never go back to the canned stuff!

A quick tip I use for getting this soup in my crock pot before work in the morning is to buy a tub of pre chopped mirepoix (onions, celery, and carrots) from Trader Joe’s.  A real time saver!

Make this recipe soon. Don’t forget the grilled cheese!  Nostalgia awaits.

Ingredients:

  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter (divided)
  • 3 celery stalks, cleaned and finely diced
  • 3 carrots, peeled and finely diced
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 28 oz can diced tomatoes in juice
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, torn into small pieces
  • 3 1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
  • Parmesan or pecorino romano cheese rind (optional)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1/3 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
  • 1 1/4 cups skim milk, warmed
  • 1/2 cup half & half, warmed
  • salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Directions:

Add 1 tbsp butter to a large skillet over medium heat.  Add celery, carrots, onion, and garlic.  Cook for 5 minutes stirring often until lightly golden.  Remove from pan and add to crock pot.

To the crock pot, add tomatoes, thyme, basil, chicken (or vegetable) broth, cheese rind (if using), and bay leaf.  Cook on low for 6-7 hours.  Remove bay leaf and cheese rind (if using).  Puree with an immersion blender until well blended.  If you do not have an immersion blender, a blender or food processor will also work.

In a large skillet, melt 2 tbsp butter over low heat.  Add flour and stir constantly with a whisk for 3-4 minutes.  Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the reserved hot soup.  Add warmed milk and half & half, and stir until smooth.  Pour into the slow cooker and stir until well incorporated.  Add grated pecorino romano cheese and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.  Cover the crock pot and cook on low for 30 additional minutes.

Stove top instructions: Follow instructions as is, and cook on the stove top for 1-2 hours (instead of in the crock pot for 6-7). Puree with immersion blender, make flour and milk mixture, add mixture to stove top pot, add cheese, and cook for an additional hour.

Servings: 6 (Serving size: 1 1/2 cups)